Arla partners with retailers to Trial Bovaer feed additive for methane reduction

UK – Arla Foods has partnered with leading UK retailers Morrisons, Tesco, and Aldi to address methane emissions in dairy farming through a new feed additive trial.

According to a report by Arla, the collaboration aims to reduce the environmental impact of dairy production by incorporating Bovaer, a feed additive shown to cut enteric methane emissions from cows by an average of 27%.

This initiative forms part of Arla’s FarmAhead Customer Partnership program and involves around 30 Arla farmer-owners.

The trial seeks to explore the practicalities of integrating Bovaer® into daily feeding routines, with the potential for broader industry adoption.

Paul Dover, UK Agricultural Director at Arla Foods, noted that reducing methane emissions represents a significant opportunity for improving the carbon footprint at the farm level.

He emphasized the importance of industry-wide collaboration, stating, “Bringing partners together from across the food and grocery industry in this kind of initiative highlights the support there is for British farmers in transitioning to more sustainable farming methods.”

However, Dover acknowledged that scaling up the use of such additives poses challenges due to the associated costs.

The trial aims to provide valuable insights into overcoming these hurdles, assessing the impact on farm operations, and fostering stronger partnerships with the feed industry.

In a joint statement, Morrisons, Tesco, and Aldi highlighted the importance of collaborative efforts in addressing climate challenges.

 “Through collaboration as part of Arla’s FarmAhead™ Customer Partnership, we have the ability to address some of the climate challenges facing our food system. It is this collective approach that is really going to make a difference,” the statement noted.

“Being involved in using a feed additive is a great way of testing out where we can drive change at scale to bring down emissions.”

Farmers participating in the trial, such as Andrew Barraclough, view this initiative as a crucial step toward sustainability.

Barraclough expressed his enthusiasm for reducing environmental impact, noting, “Working on initiatives that help reduce our impact on the environment is something that I am extremely passionate about.”

However, he also pointed out the financial challenges involved, emphasizing the need for industry-wide support.

“Farmers are trying to accelerate the transition to more sustainable dairy farming, but we can’t do it alone,” he added.

“It’s why collective initiatives like this between Arla and its customers are so important for farmers—we need the wider industry to come together and support us if we are going to drive change.”